Why Reading To Children Is So Important

There’s something sacred about the moment a child curls up beside you with a book in hand.

Maybe their legs are tangled with yours, maybe they’re already in PJs, maybe it’s been a long, noisy, messy day, but in that pause, that softness of bedtime, you meet each other in a quieter place. A place where the world slows just enough for connection.

Reading stories to children creates a powerful heart-to-heart bond because it’s never just about the words. It’s about your voice, your time, your presence and most of all, it’s about the message they feel beneath the words: “Right now, you matter most.”

These small rituals, one book, one cuddle, one calm breath, add up. They become a soft landing at the end of each day, especially for kids whose minds are busy or bodies are still buzzing. And for neurodivergent children, this kind of gentle, consistent co-regulation can be incredibly grounding.

Science backs up why reading to children is so important, too. Children who are read to daily hear an estimated 78,000 more words a year than those who aren’t. But it’s not just vocabulary they’re gaining; it’s the emotional literacy that grows when a parent models empathy, wonder, curiosity, or even silliness through a story.

Stories offer children a chance to explore their inner world — their questions, their worries, their ideas — all within the safe container of imagination. When a grown-up is there, holding space for those emotions without needing to fix or rush, that’s when the magic happens.

Reading becomes more than a task. It becomes an act of love, and this is exactly why we created Your Brain Is A Wonderful Place.

We wanted a story that could help children — especially neurodivergent children — see that their differences are not something to be hidden, but something to be acknowledged, celebrated, and valued. A book that brings gentle language and vibrant imagery to the way their brains tick, move, feel, and wonder.

It’s a bedtime story, yes — but it’s also a bridge. A way to say:“I see you. I love your mind. You don’t need to change a thing.”

So tonight, when you pull your little one close and open a book, know that you’re doing something more profound than you may realise. You’re saying,“Your story matters. And I want to hear it, again and again.”